Author
Topic: First All Grain Batch (Read 2482 times)

Okay, so I have all of my equipment ready. I will be doing my first all grain batch this weekend. I am trying to decide what to brew. I love English Pale Ales but would like to make them a bit stronger (6-7%). I want to have a great hop aroma, finish (i.e. floral). I am thinking Maris Otter, Crystal, Roasted (?) and someone suggested Flaked maize. For hops, Fuggle and Golding:

That's pretty low on the hopping rates for beefed up ESB. Assuming those are 4.5% AA hops something like 5 oz of bittering and 3 oz of flavor would get you more in the ballpark at around 42 IBUs. If it were me though I'd bump that up even higher to say, 6 oz bittering and 4 oz flavor.

I would leave out the flaked maize. Without it you still have a 6% beer. If you want to add more alcohol, add some brown sugar, that will also give it more character and keep it more "English". If you want it darker, use 1oz of a chocolate malt. That will make it browner, roasted barley will make it redder, but 1/8oz won't really do anything. Do you have a higher AA% hop available (Northdown, Northern Brewer, Target, Challenger) for bittering (90 min)? Although I got some 2009 EKG that is 7%. I would also flip the fuggle and EKG. Use the EKG for aroma.

Yeast :Wyeast 1968White labs WLP002White Labs WLP005 (my house yeast) but use a big stater (3L for each carboy, decant and pitch slurry). Ferment at 68-70 for more fruitiness.

Should I then do a starter in the 2000 ml Erlenmeyer Flask on a stir plate and another in a jug? Should I place an airlock on the starter in the jug?

I'd do two starters in two gallon milk jugs. Split the yeast between the two and and use intermittent shaking. Don't put an airlock on since you want O2 to be able to get to the wort. Just loosely cover the jugs with sanitized foil.

Should I then do a starter in the 2000 ml Erlenmeyer Flask on a stir plate and another in a jug? Should I place an airlock on the starter in the jug?

I'd do two starters in two gallon milk jugs. Split the yeast between the two and and use intermittent shaking. Don't put an airlock on since you want O2 to be able to get to the wort. Just loosely cover the jugs with sanitized foil.

+1

You'll need 6 Liters if you stir and 9 Liters if you shake. Two gallons will pretty much do it if you shake.